Wednesday, January 24, 2007

So, this is the anatomy of an assignment. Specifically, it's about how it came together, and was executed, and how, when you're a professional, with the right tools, you can make it happen, despite countless challenges. On January 16, the phone rang. It was the Art Director for a publication group that was handling a regional publication that wanted a portrait of a Member of Congress. The interview was schedule for January 24th, and the Communications Director also wanted the photography to take place that day. We discussed the details -- small circulation regional trade magazine, cover and single image inside. When asked about their budget, their figures were slightly lower than where I felt comfortable being, by about 20%. A negotiation ensued, and the result raised the figure to 10% less than I had originally proposed, and I forwarded on a contract to that effect, which was signed and returned prior to the shoot taking place.

I then began a dialog with the Congressman's CD about timing and logistics. She proposed Thursday the 25th, and I agreed. Then she called back to say he would be out of town. No problem. How about the 24th. No, that wouldn't work, because it was the day after the State of the Union address, and he would be tired. No problem, how about the 26th. No, he would still be out of town. Then, she proposes 4pm on the 24th, and I am agreeable, and slot it into my schedule. About 30 minutes later, the phone rings, and it's the CD again. She indicates that he's getting on a flight at 4:59, so the 4pm slot won't work after all. She proposes 10am, again, the morning after a long night on Capitol Hill. I agree, and shift the schedule. (After my own coverage of the President's speech, I did not make it to sleep until 3am myself.)

We then discuss location. I propose the Cannon House Office Building terrace, right outside of the main door, and she has concerns about the cold. I suggest that it's a great angle, with nice dynamics, but I understand her concerns about the elements. I suggest the 3rd Floor balcony of the Cannon building, and she likes that idea better. I call to try to schedule a window area to accomplish the photograph in, as they are scheduled by the press gallery. I am told that CNN and Fox both have reserved the two window spaces for all morning, since they are doing reactions to the speech the night before, so I am SOL. I then ask about the inside spaces between the columns, and am told they're "first come, first served." No problem, I'll take that, since there are alternative backup locations nearby if they are all full.

I call back, and she now agrees that we can do the outside shot, weather permitting, and that the inside location is our backup location. We arrive at 9:15, to set up for what we believe will be a 10am shot. She indicates that he will be in between meetings, and that they only have enough time for one location, and when I indicate we'll be done with him in 5 or 10 minutes, maximum, she's nervous, suggesting that that much time is not available. We set up both the inside and the outside locations.

The inside location is lit with a single Hensel head, at about 1/8 power, and mixed with the ambient light from outside, giving me an exposure of f5.6 at 1/40th for ISO 500, with the camera set to the "flash" color temperature reading, a Plume 140 with the wafer in (and two stops of an ND filter inside), and a litedisc reflector. The trick was getting the head out beyond the balustrade so that the light was coming in towards the subject. Once complete, I am comfortable with all the light/f-stop settings for this look. (see wide image of the setup below).

The outside location is also a single Hensel head, but at 2/3 power, with the Chimera 5 softbox. We had to run power from about 80 feet away, and it started as an overcast day, so I put a Full CTO gel into the softbox and set the camera to the "tungsten" setting so that all the ambient would go blue, and further, I stopped down a bit so it would be a bit darker. At 100 ISO, I was at f10 at 1/200th. I very much like this look and feel, and it reinforces the fact that this was the right first choice for what I was going for. (see wide image of the setup below, with a different subject stand in, and my bundled up assistant who was still cold afterwards.)

At 10:02, we learn that one of the House committees has scheduled a meeting for 10am, and that the earliest he will be available will be 11am.

At 11am, we learn that it will be atleast another 30 minutes. And, at 11:45 he arrives, at the inside (secondary) location. I've chosen to wait for him inside, since, at that moment, I am in a secure area, having already been screened by security. My assistant, who helped set up, has been outside, for 2 hours, with the equipment, in a non-secure area. All the lighting has been tested and pre-set (of course), and I make the first image at 11:45:09 (see below).After two dozen images, both vertical and horizontal, I say to the Congressman "we've got the second setup right outside the door, where my assistant is already waiting with the lights set up." We walk downstairs, and out the door, through security. Since we are leaving, there is no delay, however, if we had started outside, I would have had to pass through the metal detectors and my camera through the x-ray machine, but the Congressman would not have, nor would he have had to wait if there was a line, I would have. Tactically, it was best to go the other direction. We get outside, and the light is different from how it was 2 hours earlier, it's sunnier, and so I make a quick adjustment to the light power, and make a test frame. Then, I continue shooting outside. After about 30 seconds I ask him how he's doing comfort-wise because there were a few intermittent snow-flakes falling, and he said he was fine. After about another dozen frames, I stop and tell him "we're done sir, thank you for your time..." and he's off to his next meeting. The final frame and revealed metadata is below.Yes, that's 3 minutes, 19 seconds. Two set ups, travel time between sets, everything. And, the client has dozens of images to choose from. In fact, with a wireless card and on-site laptop, I am able to deliver three or four low resolution selects to the client, who was a bit nervous about the shoot even coming-off at all, given all the changes to the schedule. Giving them piece of mind that not only did it happen, but we got two setups, and we are pleased with the images. Their response, via e-mail, prior to our completion of the breaking down of the equipment was "Got the e-mail and site link. i will forward over to {designer}. These are really good. well done." Yea. Happy client!

So, why do I share all of this? Because, when time mattered, when it really came down to it, the pre-setting, the pre-testing, and logistical reviews meant that the shots came off. Professional grade flash equipment, with fast recycle times and great light modifiers and stands meant that we could produce what we wanted, exactly how we wanted to. We weren't limited by a flash's power necessary to overcome the sun in an outdoor setting, especially with a 5' softbox. We had a full complement of ND filters, and CTO filters at our disposal to achieve the desired effect, since when we dialed down the inside flash pack, it was still 2 stops too bright, and required ND.

Moreover, this example reinforces the fact that we are not billing for our time, but for our expertise. For our ability to trouble shoot, see three steps ahead, and anticipate all eventualilties (or as many as possible) and plan for them. Our fees should be in direct opposition to the length of time we can work in. The faster we can accomplish a task, the more we should be paid. Yet, many clients look to determine what they will pay based upon the length of time you are working for them, as if you are a form of a day laborer, punching a clock. This incorrectly suggests that the beginning photographer, who might have taken hours to light it, and many many more minutes to make the images while the subject stands patiently by, would be paid more than someone who can accomplish the same goals within about 3 minutes. Helping a client to understand that you will deliver even when you are thrown a curve ball -- when -- literally, every second counts, means that the client is more likely to agree and pay you commensurate with that level of experience and set aside thoughts of a "half-day" or "day rate" approach. I see that conclusion as one with ensures clients see the value I bring to an assignment, beyond minutes, technical skill, and gear, and one which will ensure a long and beneficial relationship for us both.

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comments:

Fascinating reading John, thanks for another inspiring and informative post.

I had a vaguely similar experience myself a couple of weeks ago, covering a connected series of events around a small (walkable) area of a city.

I had pre-arranged some prime shooting locations for the concert part of the evening, locations that my media pass gave me access to, something which the other photographers hadn't realised. But when I dashed round from one event for the start of the concert, I was stalled by security guards who had to "get on the radio" etc. I didn't have time to argue with them so I headed back to the location where everyone else was working from.

But rather than stay there and get the same shots as all the other guys, I decided to try something else and ended up a few hundred yards away in another pre-arranged position that I was allowed access to. Unfortunately it turned out to be a poor position and I missed several major shots that I wanted.

The people I was doing the pictures for were happy with my overall coverage of the event, and there was no talk of me having let them down, but I felt I had done an un-professional job. Yes it was in part due to something outside of my control (security guards), and yes it happened in the name of creativity and trying to be unique, but the bottom line is that I didn't accomplish what I set out to do. That's failure.

The part of your anecdote that impresses me most is you having to deal with the changing light conditions and, even being in such a rush, coping with the quick change of settings on the strobe. Everything else, I'd like to think I would have anticipated, planned for and coped with. But getting out to the second location and realising that you need to re-set the lighting must have been a tense moment, so well done for taking it in your stride.

I agree with this .... many a time I complete a commission because of my professionalism well within the time slot I am given, and have a snide remark from a client that 'you will be billing less than you quoted as you finsihed so quickly', no I say, I will be billing more because I was so creative and so focussed to get the results we needed in so short a space of time ....

Great story on the nitty gritty of a photo shoot. The tip on ND filters was a good one, I should put them in my strobe kit too. I've done a lot of quick jobs with multiple set-ups and you hit the nail on the head. I agree on you on getting away from the "day rate" approach. Thanks.

Very interesting and I love reading about how real pro's do it. By the end of the entry I realized that I treat my 1 year old as a congresswoman. I set everything up with Donald Duck as a stand-in and when I'm ready my wife brings my daughter into the studio, I snap off 15 shots and then pick a few keepers. So the advice about setting up and having everything ready to go is really solid, and works whether for a congressman or a 1 year old! :)

Thanks for starting this blog...it's helpful, and inspiring. I especially like your break-down of the "three-minute" shoot and your philosophy that the client is paying for expertise, not time. Do you have similar descriptions of what you take on a more extended remote shoot that requires travel and overnight stays? Say, a complete package for a corporate client?Thanks again, and best of luck to you.Brian

Great piece. Just one question. When you left with the congressman to go to the second location outside, was anyone watching your lighting gear at the first location or did your assistant have to hustle back inside once you and the congressman arrived at the second location?

Since this is only an editorial assignment, one would expect your fee to be much less than $1,000 for all this work and forethought. Too bad seasoned professionals like your self do not readily promote professional pricing along with the valuable production techniques and logistic information. Without the real fee info, how is a new photographer ever to realise the value of their images in the market place? Even a "ball park" fee would be better than dodging the point with "20% less than", "10%", etc. There is now reason to fear stating historical, factualy rate info.